Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler coined the term “inferiority complex” and describes it as a lack of worth. This can be associated with redemption. He believed that every person had an idea of what their perfect self would be and calls this fictional finalism. People feel this inferiority complex because they have not attained this fictional finalism. The inferiority complex drives people to their perfect self, dictating the decisions that they make and creating themselves closer and closer to what they see themselves as being. However, people do not fully understand their fictional finalism, they only have an idea that drives them. Adler also believed the conscious and subconscious to be working together to achieve this goal. It goes with redemption because the ideas of an inferiority complex and fictional finalism work to make the person better and develop them in ways not otherwise possible.
Tyler McCuistion on Weber and Creation
8:36 pm, 10.20.13
It’s interesting that he discovered all about how perfectly we are made. Also, that we are made without a sense of the fall. This kind of research gives much thought to philosophy to understand who and what we are.
Tyler McCuistion on Gage and the fall
8:32 pm, 10.20.13
I understand your point, that changes to a person like this can change a person and in turn damage their relationship with God. I do feel like it is a hard connection to make though. From the damage to his frontal lobe, he lost much of the functions that influence self control. This left the more primitive parts of the brain working fine, yet he did not follow God’s will. This to me shows that primitive man does not know God, it is what we have become that chooses God.
Tyler McCuistion on Kant
3:37 pm, 10.07.13
I also agree about placing him with creation. The fact that he believes that the mind creates the universe around itself is proof enough to me that he informs on creation. The mind cannot create around it without a previous experience informing it how to, so the fact that he believes we learn from something higher supports his theory very well. Great job using references and quotes!
Tyler McCuistion on Rousseau and the Noble Savage.
3:22 pm, 10.07.13
Relating this to your life made this all come together very well. It makes his famous quote make more sense. Man is free, but the time limits, social standards, and other chains hold us back from being truly free and we spend too much time doing what we think we have to do instead of doing what truly fulfills us.
Tyler McCuistion on Kierkegaard and Humanity
3:15 pm, 10.07.13
I like how you linked Kierkegaard to each of the paradigms. I also believe that all three of the stages he talks about lead to redemption, so I see him overall as a redemptionist, if that’s even a word. He explains how we began, what caused us to fall, and how we can save ourselves based on those ideas. Very interesting read.
Tyler McCuistion on Johannes Gutenberg
8:28 pm, 09.23.13
I believe the ability to create and distribute texts rapidly is something that sped the acquisition of knowledge throughout the west. It encouraged people to learn how to read due to the abundance of works being produced. It also allowed for more questioning of existing dogma. Gutenberg’s printing press was a phenomenal invention.
Tyler McCuistion on David Hume and The Fall
8:23 pm, 09.23.13
I like how you brought up the topic about when man fell, they gained the knowledge of good and evil. It brought about a time where man was able to determine for themselves what was moral, giving them a greater choice of what they should and should not do.
Tyler McCuistion on Gutenberg and The Renaissance
8:15 pm, 09.23.13
I find Gutenberg to be a very influential person in the history of the west and maybe even the world. The invention of the printing press definitely made it possible for people to rely more on their understanding than the understanding or dogma of the catholic church.
Tyler McCuistion on Theory of Forms: Redemption
8:12 pm, 09.23.13
I like how you mention his dualistic approach to human life. I love thinking how Plato wad the first well-known person to proclaim that reason is the way to understanding. I cannot imagine a life without reason, or where I would be without the ability to discover myself from within.
Tyler McCuistion on Plato, Creation, and The Fall
4:03 pm, 09.08.13
I love the reminiscence theory and Plato’s thoughts on introspection. To me, his thoughts of us being fallen from knowledge is a challenge to me to learn what I have fallen from and gives me a goal and a purpose to pursue things in life.